Conyers, Ga. – Three more Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) eighth grade students embarked on a life-changing journey as the district’s newest cohort of REACH Georgia Scholars –
William Nozart of Memorial Middle School and Aiyana Lowden and Devin Swims, both of Conyers Middle School. Each student will receive a $10,000 scholarship upon completion of the REACH Georgia program and high school graduation.
These REACH Georgia Scholars and their families were recognized during the Rockdale County Board of Education meeting held January 18, 2024. In addition to RCPS Superintendent Dr. Terry Oatts and school board members, RCPS Foundation board members, school leaders, counselors and academic coaches as well as family members attended in a show of community support.
The program and scholarships are made possible by support from the RCPS Foundation, which takes the lead in fundraising for the program, and the Georgia Student Finance Commission. This is the seventh cohort of the REACH Georgia program in RCPS. REACH Georgia Scholars are selected based on grades, behavior, and recommendations.
“I am elated that our students have this opportunity and the community support that makes this possible,” said RCPS Director of Community and Student Support and RCPS REACH Georgia Coordinator April Fallon. “REACH is a strategic investment in our students and our state, opening doors for youth who may not have the opportunity to seek post-secondary education due to financial constraints. The on-going support of the RCPS Foundation and the engagement of our business partners and community are game-changers in the lives of these students.”
Beginning in the eighth grade and through high school, REACH Scholars are paired with a mentor and an academic coach. Scholars must maintain good grades, behavior and attendance. Scholars who successfully complete the program and graduate from high school are awarded a $10,000 scholarship that can be used at any university or college in the University System of Georgia, Technical College System of Georgia, or eligible private post-secondary institution. The scholarship is in addition to any other grant or scholarship the student receives.
The mission of REACH, which stands for "Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen," is to ensure that Georgia’s academically promising students have the academic, social, and financial support needed to graduate from high school and college ready for a successful career.
For more information, please contact April Fallon at
[email protected] or visit the RCPS Foundation website at rcpsfoundation.com or the REACH Georgia website at reachga.org
Pictured below left to right: RCPS Foundation Board Members Winston Neil and Katy Zahradnik, Rockdale County Board of Education Chairwoman Pam Brown, REACH GA Scholars Devin Swims (Conyers Middle School) and Aiyana Lowden (CMS) and William Nozart (Memorial Middle School), RCPS Superintendent Dr. Terry Oatts, Board of Education Vice Chairwoman and RCPS Foundation Board Member Heather Duncan, RCPS Foundation Board Member Susan Paul Smith, RCPS Director of Community and Student Support April Fallon, RCPS Chief of Strategy and Innovation and RCPS Foundation Board Member Cindy Ball. RCPS REACH GA Scholars were recognized at the January 18, 2024, Rockdale County Board of Education meeting.
